Great Desserts Without The Fat

Donuts, ice cream and candies — we're a nation addicted to junk food and our habit is killing us. An astonishing one-third of the average American's diet is junk food, and the other two-thirds doesn't cut it nutritionally, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Our obsession with sweet foods has lured many into its web of sugar and fats, and it's almost impossible for many American men to stop devouring desserts after a meal... even at breakfast! Well, I'm here to tell all the dessert lovers out there that there is a way to have your cake and eat it too — without the guilt. But, a crucial ingredient to enjoying these heavenly foods without worrying about your future health is to have everything in moderation.

less is more

Yes, there is a better way: the key to a lasting, healthy diet is moderation, even when it comes to satisfying your sweet tooth. If you're satisfied with sensible servings of fat-free foods, look no further. If not, it's far better to indulge in small amounts of the real McCoy and reach satisfaction sooner, than to search for some sweets in a box of fat-free cookies.

Like many people, I had interpreted low-fat snacks as a license to eat with total abandon. While reduced-fat products can be part of a healthful diet, their caloric content is often equal to that of their full-fat counterparts.

What's more, to compensate for the missing fat, they often contain higher levels of other dietary demons such as sodium and sugar. One of the best ways to avoid both these types of sweet traps is to start changing your eating habits and (here's a great suggestion...) eat fruit instead.

Everyone forgets that there is always a natural, healthy alternative to prepared foods, and in the case of desserts, fruits are that alternative. A nice cold bowl of banana and strawberry salad, mixed with fruit punch juice, attacks your mouth with such a spectrum of awesome flavors that you'll never want to touch another baklava again.

The best part is that the fruit salad is that it contains 5 times less calories (and 0 fat) compared to that small cupcake, which you probably would've eaten two of anyway.